Connecting means for ophthalmic mountings and the like



Jan. 10, 1933.

E. L. SCHUMACHER CONNECTING MEANS FOR OPHTHALMIC MOUNTINGS AND THE LIKE Filed May 9. 1950 fzzzer jchmacfian I IN VEN TOR WW2 i1 TTOR E Y Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES FATE FFECE ELMER L. SCHUMACHER, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'IO AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY ASSOCIA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTING'MEANS FOR OPHTHALMIC MOUNTINGS AND THE LIKE Application filed May 9, 1930. Serial No. 450,982.

This invention relates to improvements in connecting or securing means and has particular reference to improved means for aligning and holding the parts together and is especially adapted for uniting the parts of an ophthalmic mounting such as the lens rims and for use in uniting parts embodying similar characteristics. It also relates to an improved process for making the same.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved connection or securing device that is inconspicuous and of sufiicient connection area to permitthe means held by the connecting members ,to be interchanged without having to disunite the parts of the connection and has particular reference to an improved process of making same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a split holding member with connecting means which are positioned as near as possible to and in line with the holding member.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved connecting means wherein the pull of the clamping means will be directly on the periphery or in line with the mem her being held.

Another object of the invention is to provide increased thread area in connections of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide connecting means for an ophthalmic mounting which will prevent the side twisting of rims and consequent chipping of lenses. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide means wherein the parts of the connect ing means may be quickly and easily aligned.

Another object is to provide lens rims for an ophthalmic mounting'having means to compensate for variations in sizes of lenses,

that is, which avoids the necessity of having to accurately size the lenses.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved process of securing the parts in working position.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, inexpensive, and efficient connecting means that will be inconspicuous in the finished article.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection, with the accompanying drawing and it will be apparent that many chan es may be made in the details of construction, arrangements of parts and stepsof the process without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the eX- act details of construction, arrangements and steps of the process shown, as the preferred form only has been shown by way of illustration. It will also be apparent that the device may have many uses and applications to other arts than the one specifically described here and all of which are embodied in this invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. I is a front elevation of an ophthalmic mounting embodying the invention.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan view of one of the rim connecting members, shown partly in section.

Fig. III is a sectional view on the line IIIIII of, Fig. 11.

By way of illustration I will describe my invention as applied to an ophthalmicmounting although it will be understood it may be applied to many other devices.

In order to insert the lenses in the lens rims of ophthalmic frames it has been usual to divide the frame at some one point in its periphery and to provide connecting means which will allow the rim to be drawn up tightly on the lens when the lens has been inserted in place therein. Much difficulty has been encountered in providing such rim connections of sufficient size to provide a secure.

and long wearing fitting. Another serious defect 1n the prior art devices of this character has been the tendency of the runs to twist out of position and the consequent chipping of lenses, due mostly to the clamping means being positioned out of line with the lens rims and at a point remote from said lens rims. By reason of the fact that the clamping means as previously constructed was positioned quite some distance from the lens engaging portion of the rims, the said rims would spread during the use of the mounting and allow the lenses to slip around therein or be displaced entirely therefrom.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a lens rim connection that is both inconspicuous and or" suflicient contact area to insure long life and durability and which will also permit rigid clamping and interchanging of lenses without disturbing the temple.

Referring to the drawing wherein similar characters of reference denote similar parts throughout, the mounting embodying the invention comprises a pair of split lens rims I connected centrally by a bridge member 2 and provided adjacent the splits with rim connecting means 3 which also form an attaching point of the temples 4 to said rims. The lens rims 1 are provided with a lens groove 5 to hold the lenses 6 in place therein and are provided on one of the split ends with a recessed housing 8 and on the opposite end with a tubular member 9. A shouldered tubular member 10 is positioned within the recess in the housing 8 and is provided with a groove 11 adapted to hold a solder ring 12 therein. After the tubular member 10 has been properly positioned within the recess in the housing 8 the solder is melted under heat to cause it to flow between the contacting faces of the shoulder member and the recess to secure the tubular member 10 in place therein. The tubular member 9 is adapted to fit over the tubular member 10 and is held in place thereon by means of the screw 13 which is threaded within the threaded bore of the tubular member 10. The parts are so dimensioned that the tubular member 9 and screw 13 will be concealed within the housing 8 when secured in position.

The housing member 8 is provided with perforated wing portions 14 which form a hinge connection for the temple 4. Suitable means such as a screw 15 is employed for holding the temple in place'therein.

Attention is called to the fact that the clamping means which comprise the tubular member 9, the tubular member 10 and the clamp screw 13, are positioned as near as possible to the split ends of the rim and to the lens engaging groove formed therein and also in line with the periphery ot the lens so that when the split ends are drawn together the strain of the pull or clamping acdiscomfort to the wearer.

tion of the screw will be as near as possible to the contacting faces of the split ends of the lens rims.

The object of this structure is to obviate the tendency of the rims to spread during their continued use and allow the lenses to loosen and rotate therein. This defect is a very seri ous one, particularly in cases where a cylinder lens is used in the correction as the axis of the lens moves out of its prescribed position and causes undue eye strain and much The construction as herein described will not spread apart at this point, and due to the telescoping feature of the endpiece and the locking of the split ends of the rim within the housing 8, the tendency of the rim to twist out of position is obviated. This is a decided advance in the art due to the elimination of the possible chipping and breaking of lenses as has been usual in several prior art devices. The threaded tubular member 10 provides a long thread bearing for the clamp screw 13 and thereby forms a rigid and durable rim connection. This obviates the breaking off of the threads as has been usual in rim connections in the past as the thread bearings, due to the extremely small size of the endpieces in actual practice, have been very limited. Attention is called to the fact that the recess formed in the member 8 has a V-shaped bottom formed therein and that the tubular member 10 is provided with a V-taper which is adapted to fit the V of said recess. The object of this structure is to provide additional adhering surfaces so that when the solder 12 flows therebetween and hardens there will be a more rigid connection between the tube and housing.

The housing 8 is provided with lip portions 16 which are adapted to straddle the rim member 1 when secured in position thereon. The object of these lip portions is to conceal the split formed in the rim member. With this type of rim connection it is apparent that the lenses positioned therein do not have to be accurately sized to fit within the rim, that is, should they be a little larger than the rim member, the space between the split ends of the rim will be concealed by the lip member 16 and will pass unnoticed. This is a decided advance in the art as it has been usually necessary to have the lenses edged to accurate size, so that the endpiece members may fit together properly.

The process of manufacture is as follows: The tubular member 10, having the solid solder ring 12 therein, is positioned within the tubular member 9 on the split rim member and is secured thereto by the screw member 13. The assembled tubular members 9 and to the securing of the tubular member 10 in place within the housing 8, no difficulty is encountered in aligning the parts. This removes many manufacturing difiiculties, increases production and reduces cost. The

parts are properly aligned and are all concealed Within the housing 8 and form a neat and attractive -rim connection.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided simple, inexpensive and efficacious means of carrying out all of the objects of the invention and the process of manufacture.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a split holding member, a tubular lug on one of the portions of the split member, a housing on the opposite portion having a portion cut out to fit over the holding member to conceal the split portion therein and having a cut out portion adapted to receive the tubular lug, a second tubular member Within the cut out portion of the housing having a shouldered portion secured to said housing and having a threaded bore, the threaded tubular member being adapted to extend Within the tubular lug and screw means for securing the split ends together Within the housing.

2. In a device of the character described, a divided holding member, a recessed member on one of the portions of the holding member, a support on the opposite portion and having a portion cut out to receive the opposite holding portion and conceal the line of division, a member secured Within the cut out portion adapted to extend Within the recessed member and securing means engaging said member and the recessed member to secure the split ends together.

ELMER L. SCHUMACHER. 

